Bill Maher, Once a Country Hater, Believes Country Music Could Help Bring America Together

Although singers come and go, country music continues to change with the times, embracing the future while paying tribute to the past. Over the last year, country music has welcomed stars like Beyonce and Post Malone. And with the new wave of artists showcasing a different side of country music, the genre appeared to get new life. While fans praise the new era of the genre, Bill Maher believed the secret to uniting America was nestled within country music. 

On a recent episode on Real Time with Bill Maher, the host decided to take a step away from criticizing the current climate in the country and offer a solution. When wanting to unite the country, Maher told viewers to turn to country music. “Just look at the music. Maybe that’s the best analogy for where we are culturally. I used to hate country music — for a very good reason, it sucked. But it changed, because the people making it changed. It’s not some pickin’ and a-grinnin’ bumpkin in a rhinestone leisure suit vaguely longing for the return of segregation anymore… mostly.”

Giving some examples of how country music changed over the years, Maher explained, “Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson both have the same hobby.” He continued, “At this year’s Grammy Awards, Luke Combs performed a duet with Tracy Chapman, a queer Black woman, and no one ran screaming from the building. In fact, they all loved it.”

Bill Maher Forgot About The CMA Awards

Showing how people from all walks of life came together, Maher concluded, “The big hat people and the big hair people, they don’t hate each other. They like and respect each other. They want to work together. We can’t duplicate this on a grander scale in America?”

While country music loved the praise Maher offered, some fans pointed to Beyonce. Although her album, Cowboy Carter, marked her entrance into country music, not all fans were impressed. Still, the album dominated the airwaves. But even with the success of the album, Beyonce and fans watched as the CMA Awards decided to snub the singer. 

(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)